ABSTRACT
Fuel cells are environmentally friendly devices for energy conversion and power generation, and are one of the most promising candidates as a zero-emission power source. Hence, they are often regarded as one of the advanced energy technologies of the future. In reality, fuel cells are one of the oldest energy conversion devices known to humankind, although their development and deployment for practical applications lag far behind other competitive technologies, mainly heat engines such as steam turbine and the internal combustion engine. Presently, heat engines employing combustion of fossil fuels have become an essential and integral part of modern civilization, being increasingly relied upon since the Industrial Revolution.
